Day Out With Thomas

Inducted in 2014

Day Out With Thomas® is a fun-filled event that offers little engineers and their families the opportunity to take a ride with a life-size Thomas the Tank Engine, star of the popular Thomas & Friends® series. The event also features the opportunity for visitors to meet Sir Topham Hatt®, Controller of the Railway and enjoy a day full of Thomas-themed activities including arts & crafts, storytelling and more. The tour made stops in 42 U.S., and 3 Canadian cities and welcomed nearly one million passengers in 2014.

Originally started in the UK, a Day Out With Thomas® now hosts events in Australia and across North America as well. The first North American event was hosted by The National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1996.

The Day Out With Thomas® event exposes new generations of children to railways in a fun and engaging way. As heritage rail lines disappear across North America, and Railway Museums and Tourist Railroads work to keep the story of the railway alive, this licensed event is also an important fundraiser for many organizations. The popularity of a Day Out With Thomas® attracts large audiences of tourists, young rail-fans and their families. This results in a positive economic impact not only for the railway organizations hosting the event, but also for the communities where it is held.